Stakeholders Raise Concerns Over State Police Bill: Funding, Abuse, and 2027 Polls

A day after the Senate passed the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, Nigeria’s political and security community is split between cautious optimism and serious warnings over how the reform will work in practice.

The Senate passed the bill on June 25, after the House did so on June 11. If 24 State Houses of Assembly ratify it, states can set up, fund, and recruit for their own police services under national standards set by the National Assembly. This would end the Nigeria Police Force’s monopoly and create a dual system of Federal Police and State Police Services.

Retired Commissioner of Police Balarabe Sule warned many states already struggle to pay the national minimum wage and may not be able to equip or pay state police officers properly.

“In addition, there will be no uniformity in the operations of the personnel across the federation. You don’t expect an officer, who is not well paid and equipped to perform optimally. This is where corruption will arise,” Sule said. He also feared governors could abuse underfunded forces.

Opposition parties and coalitions expressed fears the timing could allow abuse during elections.

CUPP Acting Chairman Peter Ameh said poorly implemented state police could be used for “political weaponisation, election interference, or suppression of opposition.” He urged the National Assembly to set minimum standards, training support, and sustainable funding for weaker states.

NNPP National Secretary Dipo Olayoku warned: “We must ensure governors don’t pack their political thugs into the State Police, thereby using uniforms to harass opponents,” with 2027 elections approaching.

PRP National Chairman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said the current administration “lacks the moral assets and the trust of Nigerians to undertake a major shift in the policing structure,” and called the plan “suspicious

Former Senator Ayodele Arise called for tighter checks, such as requiring a state police commission to shortlist three names for governor, with screening and ratification by the State House of Assembly.

SAN Dr. Monday Ubani said state policing will fail without local government autonomy. “Security is most effective when rooted in communities through intelligence gathering, crime prevention and conflict resolution,” he noted. He added that recruitment, promotion and discipline must be insulated from partisan influence

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu called the bill “epochal,” saying President Tinubu has pushed for state police since 1999. He urged state assemblies to pass it quickly, arguing it will help fight terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

Labour Party’s Ken Asogwa said Nigeria “has come of age not to centralise its policing system anymore” for a population of 225 million. “With the right institutional guardrails, the possibility of abuse will be diminished,” he said.

IPAC Lagos, Renewed Hope Ambassadors’ Olisa Metuh, and NDC all welcomed the move but stressed the need to prevent abuse. Metuh listed benefits including better community policing, faster response, job creation, and stronger federalism

The bill must be approved by 24 state assemblies to amend the 1999 Constitution. Stakeholders say the reform’s success will depend on funding, independent oversight, and strict safeguards against political misuse.